Q. Can a Cohen, who is a widower and middle aged and has grown children marry a Jewish middle aged, never married baalas tsuvah woman (frum over 20 years),(never had children), (both parents were jewish), who due to surgery cannot have children (hysterectomy) and who had a long term non-Jewish boyfriend before she became frum? I recently read an article that this may be allowed as no children will result from this marriage.
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that having had a hysterectomy does not alter at all the Halacha standing of a cohabitation act. Therefore, a Cohen will remain prohibited to marry that woman if she had relations with a Gentile. They also cannot get married even if they don’t intend or cannot have marital relations, as there would be a yichud prohibition when living in seclusion together. The marriage ceremony itself would be forbidden.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
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